Qasawa's preliminary exam set

Alaa Qasawa

Alaa Qasawa (click for larger version)

September 26, 2012 - The owner of the Lake Orion Tubby's Sub franchise will face a preliminary examination in December in U.S. District Court on charges that he attempted to obtain explosive materials and to manufacture explosive materials without a license.

Alaa Qasawa, 49, owns the Tubby's Sub location on Lapeer Road, and lives in West Bloomfield. He is free on bond pending his December hearing.

Qasawa's home in West Bloomfield and his Tubby's location were raided several weeks ago and FBI agents seized more than 100 items, including computer evidence.

According to the criminal complaint against Qasawa, he tried to place a phone order in August with a Pennsylvania company for 50 blasting caps and fuses to set off explosives. He also allegedly asked about how to make metal replica grenade bodies functional.

The company alerted authorities about the phone call and subsequent phone calls were monitored by the FBI who raided Qasawa's home and business.

Qasawa allegedly told the company representative that he was a collector of the material. His attorney also claimed Qasawa is a "collector" of explosives and never had any evil intentions.

It is a violation of federal law to possess the items unless you are licensed by the federal government to own and buy such devices. Federal authorities said Qasawa was not licensed to possess such items.